Random tidbits about the Tampa Bay region and beyond including Tampa, Saint Petersburg, Sarasota, and anywhere else in the world. Also, dedicated to some of the things I love best: traveling, food, reading, etc...

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

El Cap - St Petersburg, FL

In search of "the perfect burger," my son and I headed to El Cap for lunch. We had heard it is one of those places in the Tampa Bay area that is famous for their burgers. According to their menu, El Cap has been around since 1963. I figure if a restaurant is able to stick around that long, there must be something good going on there. We entered the restaurant through the outdoor seating area, and seated ourselves inside. It had one of those nice, hole in the wall atmospheres. The wall was plastered with numerous and various best burger awards, along with other memorabilia. If you don't want a table, there are a few chairs at the bar.

After studying the menu, my son and I had our orders ready. For drinks, we chose IBC root beer. For burgers, I ordered the "World Champ" hamburger. This was a plain burger and for a little extra, I added grilled onions. My son chose the "World Champ" cheeseburger. Along with the burgers, I ordered a basket of fries. After a short wait, our burgers arrived. I liked the size of the burger because it reminded me of the patties my mom used to make that were not to big or not too small. And the taste impressed with the toasted bun, juicy burger, and grilled onions combining for a great burger. I tried my son's cheese burger, which was also quite tasty. The fries themselves were quite good, but nothing extraordinary.

So, did I find "the perfect burger." Well, it was pretty, pretty, good. But, I don't know if it is the best burger. I am looking for that elusive taste and experience that I remember from my childhood. I guess I have keep on exploring the Bay area and let you all know how that works out. As for service at El Cap, it was friendly, but no nonsense. They had a lot of customers there that were all waiting to order their burger. This is definitely a place I would return and as an added plus, it is budget friendly.